


Awakening

by ShipMistress



Series: Follow Your Heart [4]
Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Astrid is a little traumatised, But Also Funny, F/M, Kind of..., reconnecting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-03
Updated: 2020-04-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:14:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23462278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShipMistress/pseuds/ShipMistress
Summary: After a wonderful dream, Astrid wakes up in the morning, unwilling to face reality again. But reality won't let her dream forever.
Relationships: Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III/Astrid Hofferson
Series: Follow Your Heart [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1677499
Comments: 8
Kudos: 44





	Awakening

**Author's Note:**

> A rather short one. But I like it.

When Astrid woke in the morning, it was with a strange twisted feeling in her chest. She’d dreamed again, a wonderful dream about _him_ coming back. Gods, it had felt so _real!_ His voice, his scent, his kisses. She even thought she could still feel his warm arms around her waist. 

But she _knew_ that it had just been a dream. She’d dreamed it too often to fool herself and instead braced herself for the pain she knew was about to hit her, that threatened to tear her apart every time again. It overcame her in a wave, the reminder that he was gone forever, and it left her whole body trembling. 

“Why?” she sobbed into her cushion. Why was fate cruel like this? Why had it taken him away from her? Why wouldn’t it let her let go of him? 

“Astrid?” 

Whimpering, Astrid buried her face deeper into her cushion. She could still hear his voice, so wonderfully warm and rich, heavy with sleep and just waking up. 

“Astrid, are you all right?”

She was shaking all over now. He sounded so _real_ ; voice trembling slightly as if he was worried, warm breath on her skin as if he was lying right next to her. She even thought she could feel the mattress shifting beside her. Or was that Zephyr as she sneaked into her bed for cuddles? No, please not! Astrid didn’t want her to see her like this, not again. 

“Astrid, it’s okay,” his voice insisted, large hands around her shoulders. “I’m here. I’m really here, okay? Please, look at me.”

“N-no,” she whimpered. Oh, this wasn’t _fair!_ She could feel his warmth seeping into her, felt his breath on her skin. All of this felt so wonderful, so perfect. She didn’t want the bubble to burst, didn’t want to wake up. 

But there was no point in putting it off. Eventually, she would have to accept reality again; couldn’t stay in this dream forever. Bracing herself against the harsh disappointment, she rolled onto her back and looked up – into a pair of beautiful if troubled green eyes. 

“Good morning, Milady,” Hiccup murmured, his lips twitching into a soft smile. “Are you fully awake now?”

Astrid stared up at him leaning over her, at green eyes deeper than the sea. She was hesitant to believe it, only slowly raised her hand to caress along his jaw, rough with stubbles, and over his lips. He watched her, his gaze just as intense as she remembered, even with the lingering sadness in them. 

“Are you real?” 

He _felt_ real. But still, Astrid was cautious to accept it as the truth. She remembered the day before, his return and how he’d stayed to hold her through the night – but did she dare to _believe_ it?

Hiccup nodded, then turned his head to place a lingering kiss on the inside of her palm. “I am.”

A strange sound burst from her chest, something between a laugh and a sob, tears welling in her eyes. She couldn’t even say what overcame her; maybe it was that she finally accepted him being here as the truth or maybe she was just tired of resisting. Either way, at that moment, she didn’t care anymore, risked the pain of disappointment in case she fooled herself yet again. 

She pulled him down to press her lips to his, kissing him with all the passion and longing that was bottled up inside her. It was then – when he responded, one arm wrapped around her with his hand on her back pressing her against him and moaning into her mouth with that same yearning she felt too – that she finally let herself _believe_ it. 

“You’re really back, aren’t you?” She had her forehead pressed against his, basking in his warmth around her, in his breath tickling her skin, and in his hands caressing her neck and cheeks.

Again, he nodded, the motion making her head move with his. “Yes,” he almost choked. “And I’m so, _sooo_ sorry. I wish I’d stayed. Or… or that I’d remembered you sooner. I’m sorry I cause you so much pain.”

Chuckling shakily, she shook her head. “It’s okay,” she murmured. It hadn’t been his fault. “You’re here now, that’s all that matters anymore.”

She found herself reluctant to leave the bed. Instead, she enjoyed his embrace for a while longer, so warm and comforting, the rhythm of his heart so soothing as she lay with her head on his chest. His hand was on her back, slowly caressing her, and she never wanted this moment to end.

**Author's Note:**

> I guess Astrid is a little traumatised after losing Hiccup once and all the times she'd _thought_ he was back. Poor girl...


End file.
